Gilmore Girls and Gunmen
by lgfan452
Summary: This story deals with the violent crime of rape, but it also deals with love and support and the human spirit. Please DO NOT read it if it will upset you, that is definately not my intention. Chapter 9 is up finally.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: Warning this story deals with the violent crime of rape in a graphic nature. If you may be upset by reading about it, please, please, please DO NOT read this story (especially this chapter). Having said that, I also want to point out that this story also deals with love and support and the human spirit. _**

**_Summary: Set sometime in Rory's third year at Chilton, however it does not follow the story line of the show at all._**

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything._

Chapter 1

Lorelai and Rory walked into the bank engrossed in a discussion about why Luke's food always tasted better than any one else's. Rory was teasing her Mother "It's only because Luke made it and everyone knows that Luke has a thing for you and that you have a thing for him." She smiled at the frustrated look on her mom's face. "I know, I know, you're just friends."

"I don't know why everyone finds that sooo hard to believe." She led Rory over to the line of customers that were waiting to see a teller. They were in Hartford and she wanted to open a small account at this bank. The other day, she had forgotten her bank card at home and had found herself without any money to buy the things she had come to Hartford for in the first place. She had gone into a bank to try to cash a check, but they wouldn't do it because she didn't have an account there. She had to drive all the way back to Stars Hollow and do her shopping there and she really wanted to avoid that situation again.

"No one believes it because they see the way the two of you act around each…" Rory stopped in mid sentence as three gunmen burst through the doors of the bank yelling at everyone to lie down on the floor.

Lorelai pulled Rory down and tried to cover her up with her own body. The yelling continued and they cringed when a few shots were fired. It was pandemonium and suddenly they heard sirens and the gunmen were even more frenzied. They were swearing and running around, trying to cover the windows and suddenly the phone started to ring. One gunman ran over to it, picked it up and slammed it back into the receiver, but it just started ringing again. This time he picked it up and told whoever it was on the other end, to stop calling or he would kill one of the hostages and then he slammed it down again. The phone didn't ring again.

They got some of the bank personnel to finish covering the windows and then two of them had a conference in the corner while the third one kept his gun trained on the hostages.

Suddenly they were all being rushed up against the teller's counter to form one long line of hostages. Lorelai took hold of Rory's hand tightly and pulled her up to the counter with the rest of the people. One of the gunmen took the manager in the back and the other two stayed with the hostages. The tall one stayed back and kept his gun pointed at them. He continually scanned up and down the line, making sure no one moved. The second one, he was shorter and weighed more than the first, started at one end of the line and began to examine his hostages. Sometimes he would take their wallet, or stick his gun in their face to scare them, others he would bypass altogether.

When he got to Lorelai he leaned into her and whispered in her ear. "Nice." He said as he reached around and grabbed her ass. Lorelai squirmed to get away from him, but there was really no where for her to go. "I have a little time, what do you say." He motioned to the back of the bank with his head. "Me and you, in the back, we'll have some fun." Lorelai shook her head, trying not to let him see the paralyzing fear that had enveloped her. "Maybe, you would like it better if I did the girl." He said, moving sideways towards Rory and Lorelai immediately put herself between Rory and the gunman. "That's what I thought." A smile appeared on the gunman's lips.

Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist so tightly, that the bracelet she was wearing cut into her skin. She felt Rory's arms go around her waist and hold onto her tightly. "If you do what I say, I won't touch the girl." He said into her ear. "Otherwise, I'll do you both." She felt Rory's arms tighten around her, and she knew that Rory had heard him. She took her free hand and placed it on Rory's hands on her stomach. Lorelai gently caressed Rory's hand for a minute and when the gunman yanked on her wrist to get her to come with him, she took a deep breath, removed Rory's hand and freed herself from Rory's grasp.

The instant she was free, the gunman again yanked on her arm, this time hard enough to pull her forward and she allowed herself to be dragged away from the group.

"MOM, NO!" Rory yelled, stepping forward to follow them, but Lorelai turned around and shook her head once, looking directly into Rory's eyes. Lorelai and Rory's eyes locked with all the love they shared between them until Lorelai disappeared from sight. Rory knew that she had no choice but to stay where she was, yet she couldn't bear the thought of what was going to happen to her mom.

The one gunman that was left ordered them all to sit down and Rory slid down the counter, tears running furiously down her face, her eyes never leaving the spot where her Mom had disappeared.

The gunman pulled Lorelai into the nearest office and slammed the door. He stuck the gun under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. "If you don't do exactly what I tell you, I'll bring the girl in too." He said, his eyes narrowing and the touches of a smile appearing to let Lorelai know that he would enjoy it.

He ordered Lorelai to undo the buttons on her blouse and she obeyed, slowly, concentrating on each button, one by one. When she had undone 4 buttons, he became impatient and stuck the butt of the gun between the opening and with one downward yank, he opened her shirt the rest of the way. Lorelai jumped at the sudden movement and he laughed at her. "Relax, you're going to enjoy this." He smiled when he saw that her bra unclasped from the front and he stuck the butt of his gun between the fabric of her bra and her skin. He enjoyed her sharp intake of breath and set the gun down on the shelf behind him. In one swift movement, he undid her bra and pushed the fabric out of the way. Her shirt and bra fell off her shoulders but she stretched her arms and braced herself as he pushed her against the desk behind her, preventing her blouse and bra from sliding off her arms. His hands kneaded her breasts so hard that she felt the pain throughout her entire body.

Lorelai stared at the gun that he had set behind him, trying to figure out a way that she could get to it before he did, but it was impossible. His body was between her and the gun. He bent his head and bit her left nipple, drawing blood, then he sucked her right breast, while his hand reached under her skirt and grabbed her crotch tightly. He ripped her panties off and turned her around. Then he forced her to bend over the desk so violently that her head hit the top of it with a resounding thud. Lorelai was disoriented for an instant, before she felt the searing pain as he ground into her. He slammed into her again and again as she crashed into the desk over and over. She could hear his grunts of satisfaction and she knew that he was ripping her apart. It felt like he was tearing out her insides. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he finished with her, pulled up his pants and grabbed his gun. "Come on." He said grabbing her hair and pulling her out the door, not giving her anytime to dress herself. She hastily pulled her skirt down and tried desperately to do up a few buttons of her shirt, as he pulled her back out to where Rory was waiting. She knew that she was bleeding and she tried to keep her legs together so that Rory would not see the blood but she could feel it begin to run down her leg. She felt light headed but was determined not to black out. She had to protect Rory.

When Rory saw her Mother she ran to her and put her mother's arm over her shoulder and her arm around her waist. She could feel her Mother's body shaking and she held her tightly. The gunman pushed Lorelai's head forward violently, nearly knocking both of them over, then he let go of her hair and walked away from them. Rory guided her Mother to their spot in the line and gently helped her sit down. She noticed her mother's disheveled clothing and helped her get dressed while trying to shield her from the other hostages. Whatever little bit of dignity she had left, Rory wanted to preserve it.

Lorelai smiled at the gentle hands of her daughter and allowed herself to be dressed, all the while keeping her arm around Rory's shoulder, not wanting to be separated from her daughter ever again. Rory shuddered and pulled back just a little when she saw the blood on Lorelai's shirt where it was seeping through from the bite on her nipple. Lorelai caught her daughter's hand and brought it up to her mouth and kissed it. They looked into each other's eyes then, for the first time since Lorelai had returned and although Rory had been crying since her mother left, Lorelai let the first tears slip down her cheeks and they hugged each other fiercely and didn't let go for a long time.

When they finally did pull back Rory placed her head gently on her mother's shoulder and kept her hands around her mother's waist protectively and Lorelai continuously ran her hand through her daughter's hair and kept her arm around Rory's shoulders. They hadn't spoken a word out loud. They didn't need to, their communication was deeper than words could ever be.

**_A/N: Very important to review this story and let me know what you thought. I know that some of it was hard to read and I would really like your thoughts on this. Also do you think I should continue? Thank you for reading my story._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Warning this story deals with the violent crime of rape in a graphic nature. If you may be upset by reading about it, please DO NOT read this story. Having said that, I also want to point out that this story also deals with love and support and the human spirit. **_

**_Summary: Set sometime in Rory's third year at Chilton, however it does not follow the story line of the show at all._**

Chapter 2

Lorelai was feeling more and more light headed, she knew she was still bleeding, but she didn't know what to do about it. She tried not to wince, or cry out loud at the searing pain that ripped through her abdomen, every time she moved. She didn't want to alarm Rory but she didn't know how long she could stay conscious. "Rory honey." She said quietly into Rory's ear and Rory started to sit up but Lorelai stopped her. "No, don't." She said almost desperately. "Don't let go of me." Rory understood her mother. She never wanted to let go of Lorelai again and she knew her mother was feeling the same way.

"Mom." She said crying into her mother's shoulder and Lorelai tightened her grip on Rory's arms.

"Honey, I need you to be strong for Mommy right now ok." Rory nodded and wiped at her tears, then immediately put her arm back around Lorelai. "Mommy's not doing too good." Lorelai continued. "I might go to sleep for a while ok?"

Rory instantly became alarmed and looked up into her Mother's eyes. She slowly reached up and wiped away her mother's tears and was surprised at how cold and clammy her skin was. "What's wrong?" She asked begging her Mother to tell her the truth with her eyes. "I'm not a little girl any more, maybe I can help."

Lorelai sighed and smiled down at her daughter. She's right, she thought to herself, she's not a little girl any more. "I'm bleeding." She whispered and broke eye contact to look down at herself. It felt good to tell Rory the truth, to share her burden with the most important person in the world to her.

"Oh my god." Rory exclaimed and hugged her mother fiercely again.

"It's okay." Lorelai tried to sooth her. "I just don't want you to panic if I pass out. I'll be okay." She stroked her daughter's hair and Rory looked up at her Mom again.

"What can I do?" She tried not to let her fear show on her face. "There must be something I can do."

"There's nothing either one of us can do." Lorelai assured her. "Just hold me." She said and Rory could hear the fear in her voice. "Don't ever let me go."

"That I can do." Rory nodded. "That I will do forever and ever." Tears started coursing down both their cheeks again and they were quiet for a while, holding on to each other like there was no tomorrow and Rory was very worried that there would really be no tomorrow for her mother if she didn't do something soon.

Rory took a deep breath, let go of her mother's waist, but clung tightly to her hand and stood up.

"Rory, no." Lorelai said, horrified at what they could do to her daughter. She pulled on Rory's arm, but she had no strength and her efforts had little effect.

"Sit down." The gunman warned, waving his gun in her direction.

"You have to let my Mother go." Rory said evenly, although she was shaking all over. She looked directly at the taller gunman, she couldn't bear to look at the man that had raped her mother. "She needs help desperately." The gunman didn't move. "She might die." Rory told him with tears running down her face. "Please." The gunman slowly walked over and looked at Lorelai. By this time she looked like death warmed over. She was as white as a ghost and she was slumped over a little without Rory to hold her up.

"Sit down." He nodded but waved his gun at Rory again and she did as she was told and sat back down, immediately putting her arms around her mother again and her mother laid her head against Rory's shoulder. He walked over and talked to the other gunman. Rory couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked like they were arguing. Finally the second gunman nodded and walked over to look at Lorelai himself. This time Rory found herself staring at him, hating him with every fiber of her being. She tensed up, ready to protect her mother with her life, if the need arose. The gunman looked at Rory and laughed and returned to the other man. They walked away and Rory sighed, realizing that she had failed.

She turned her attention back to her mother and realized that she was just minutes from slipping away from her. "Mom." She said quietly and Lorelai opened her eyes.

"Rory don't do that again." She said summoning the last of her strength.

"Stand up." The taller gunman was back and motioning Rory and her Mother to stand up.

Rory tried to get her Mom up but Lorelai was just too weak.

"You help her." The gunman motioned to the man sitting beside Lorelai and they stood up, holding Lorelai between them. Rory gasped when she saw the pool of blood that her mom left behind.

"Go." He motioned to the door and Rory took a deep breath as they began to move towards the door.

"Wait." The shorter gunman called and all three of them froze in their tracks. He walked up behind them and whispered into Lorelai's ear. "See," He said. "I'm a man of my word, I didn't touch the girl." Lorelai nodded her head once, grateful that he had kept his word and he slapped her hard on her ass and walked away laughing as he went. Lorelai let out a cry as searing pain ripped through her body and then she slumped against her daughter, as she finally lost consciousness. "Go." They heard again and as fast as they could, they carried Lorelai through the doors and out of the bank.

_**A/N: Very important to review this story and let me know what you thought. I know that some of it was hard to read and I would really like your thoughts on this. Also do you think I should continue? Thank you for reading my story.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: Warning this story deals with the violent crime of rape in a graphic nature. If you may be upset by reading about it, please, please, please DO NOT read this story. Having said that, I also want to point out that this story also deals with love and support and the human spirit. _**

**_A/N#2: Okay, I want to explain a few things. First of all, one reviewer suggested that my detailed description of the rape made it disgusting, well rape is a disgusting, terrible violent crime and if I was going to write about it, I definitely wanted to get that across. I want to treat this subject with all the seriousness and the respect it deserves. However if you can get past the first terrible chapter, I think you will find the love and support that Rory and Lorelai share and encounter from the people around them, heartwarming._**

**_Summary: Set sometime in Rory's third year at Chilton, however it does not follow the story line of the show at all._**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 3

As soon as they came out into the sunlight, police men grabbed them and led them to safety. One of them picked up her mom and carried her to a stretcher and Rory ran with him, refusing to let go of her mother's hand. She got in the ambulance with her mother. "Look Mom, we're in an ambulance." She stroked the back of her Mother's hand. "You're going to be okay now. These people are going to help you." One of the paramedics reached for Rory's arm. There was a large bruise beginning to form where one of the gunmen had kicked her while they were lying on the floor. Rory immediately snatched her arm away. "My mother is the one that needs help." She looked at the paramedic like she was crazy. "Can't you see that?" She turned back and stared at her Mother's face. "Please help her." She said quietly.

On the way to the hospital, Lorelai drifted in and out of consciousness, but every time she opened her eyes, she panicked until she saw Rory, and her eyes fixated on her daughter until she couldn't keep them open any longer. Rory held fiercely to Lorelai's hand, no one was taking her mom away from her again.

When they arrived at the hospital, the paramedics rushed Lorelai into an emergency room and again Rory ran along beside them, holding on tight. She became hysterical when they tried to force her to leave her mother and they gave in to her demands. Even though her mother was unconscious, Rory stroked the back of her Mother's hand and talked quietly into her ear as the doctors completed their examination. The nurses asked if there was anyone they could call for her and she gave them Luke's number. She didn't give them her grandparent's number or Sookie's number, or her Dad's number, she only wanted Luke there and she knew that her mother would too.

After the doctors finished their examination they explained to Rory that her Mother needed surgery and that she couldn't go with her but they would allow her to wait outside the door. Rory understood that she couldn't go into the surgery room and she knew that her Mother wouldn't wake up and want her there, so she reluctantly agreed and went with them as far as she could. They stopped for a minute and Rory bent down, kissed her mother on the forehead and assured her that she would be fine. "I love you Mom." She mouthed as her mother was taken away from her for the second time that day. Rory quietly slid down the wall, wrapped her arms around her knees and began to shake uncontrollably.

"Rory." Luke called as he turned the corner and saw her sitting on the floor. He had talked to the doctors and the nurses and even a psychiatrist on staff and he knew what they had been through. He was so angry and so filled with grief he was shaking from head to foot, but right now, as he saw Rory, all he could think of was helping her. The psychiatrist had explained that Rory was in shock and that after what they had been through, being separated from her mother was almost as traumatic for her as what had happened in the bank. The psychiatrist had stopped by to see Rory but she wasn't talking. She wouldn't even look at him.

"Rory." Luke said quietly as he kneeled in front of her and put his hand on her knee. She flinched under his touch and he instantly withdrew.

"Hi Luke." She said, acknowledging his presence but looking right through him at the door her mother had disappeared behind. "Please move." She asked kindly as she realized that she couldn't see through him.

"Sure." He sat with his back against the wall beside her. They sat silently for over an hour before Rory spoke again. "How much longer?" She asked quietly.

Luke looked at her with tears running down her face and his heart melted. She was so small and so stoic, never moving an inch since he had arrived. "I can go ask." He volunteered, but he didn't know if it was a good idea to leave her alone.

"Please." She accepted, still not allowing any emotion in her voice. Just as Luke began to stand up, they wheeled Lorelai out of the operating room. Rory was up in a flash and at her mother's side, once again taking her hand in her own.

Luke followed them closely, stopping only when they entered the recovery room. He watched through the window as the orderly pulled a chair up to Lorelai's bed for Rory and then left the two of them alone. A tear escaped and ran down Luke's face as he watched the two of them. That's what it always came down to for them, the two of them alone facing the world together. It had always been like that and no doubt they thought that it always would be.

Rory pulled the chair as close to her mother's bed as she could get it. She leaned over and rested her elbows on the bed and brought Lorelai's hand up to her face. She rested her mother's hand against her cheek and stroked her arm gently. She sat like that for hours, all the while talking softly into her ear. The nurses stayed away as much as they could, respecting their privacy. They marveled at the devotion and love they saw in Rory's eyes and wondered what she was saying to her mother. Rory didn't notice the nurses or Luke, looking in through the window. She was focused solely on Lorelai. She talked to her mother about things that they had done when she was a little girl, she talked about the future and Harvard and her hopes and dreams. She talked about silly things like their new catch phrase 'Oy with the poodles already!'. She talked about the Inn her mother wanted to open and finally she talked about how much she loved her and how she was going to help her through this and how she remembered her promise and was never going to let go of her ever again.

After what seemed like forever to Rory, she felt her mother gently squeeze her hand. Rory kissed the back of her Mother's hand and gently squeezed back. She stood up and stroked her mother's hair, quietly tucking a stray curl behind her ears once in a while. After a few minutes, Lorelai's eyes slowly fluttered open and she saw Rory crying above her. "Hey." She whispered and although it was a gigantic effort on her part, she reached out to embrace her daughter. Rory lowered herself into her Mother's arms and huge sobs engulfed her as she hugged her mother tightly. Lorelai's entire body was sore, but she welcomed the pain she felt as her daughter hugged her and she tried to calm her. "It's okay." She kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Mommy's here. Don't worry sweetie." Rory nodded and eventually sat back down in her chair, but she took her Mother's hand and again brought it up to her face. Lorelai put her hand on her daughter's cheek and stroked it, as Rory's hands held tightly to her arm. They looked into each other's eyes and found solace in the quiet strength each of them held.

The nurse walked over to check on Lorelai. She talked to them for a minute and took Lorelai's blood pressure and temperature and Lorelai talked to her and answered her questions but she never looked away from her daughter. The nurse smiled even though she new neither of them would see it, and retreated back to her station.

They moved Lorelai to her own room after that and the doctor arrived about half an hour later. The girls were still holding on to each other. It was as if they needed each other to breathe. The doctor greeted them and Lorelai knew she would have to look away from her daughter. She squeezed Rory's hand and Rory shifted her chair so that she could lay her arm on the bed alongside her mothers. Lorelai watched her daughter hook arms with her and clasp her hand tighter. She smiled and forced herself to tear her gaze away from her daughter. She looked up at the doctor, not quite ready to face what he had to tell her.

After dispensing with the pleasantries, the doctor got down to business. He looked over at Rory, not sure she should be present while he talked to her mom about her health. "Maybe we should talk alone." He suggested.

Lorelai felt her daughter grasp her hand tightly. "It's okay." Lorelai answered. She new there was no use in trying to start protecting her daughter now. It would just make Rory worry about her more. "We tell each other everything." Lorelai looked into her daughter's eyes briefly to see if she was okay, then she nodded and turned back to the doctor.

"Okay," The doctor was satisfied. "You had several tears to the wall of your vagina. During surgery we repaired them and you have quite a few stitches. There are many microscopic tears that will heal on their own and the bruising is going to be extensive. You lost a lot of blood and you are going to be very weak and very sore for a while. I want to keep you here for a few days, to make sure you have strict bed rest and to let the healing process begin." He paused and took a breath.

"Can my daughter stay here with me?" Lorelai asked, a hint of panic showing in her eyes.

"Yes she can." The doctor alleviated her worries. "We can set up a small cot in here for her if you like."

Lorelai nodded and he continued. "I have some other concerns I would like to talk to you about if you're up to it." Lorelai knew what he wanted to talk about, but she was fairly certain that Rory knew nothing about it. She turned and looked at the panic on her daughter's face, as she imagined all sorts of things wrong with her mother and Lorelai knew that they needed to talk about it now. Up until now she was some what aware of all that the doctor had told her about her physical condition. This next discussion was what scared her out of her mind.

"Can I sit up a bit?" She asked the doctor and he nodded. He walked to the end of her bed and raised the top of it until she was almost in a sitting position. Lorelai carefully and slowly moved over to allow room for Rory to sit beside her. She patted the empty space and Rory cautiously joined her mother on the bed. Lorelai put her right arm around her daughter and held her close. Rory took her mother's left hand in both of her own and held it tightly. "Okay." Lorelai nodded to let the doctor know they were ready.

_**A/N: Please review and tell me what you want me to do. Should I continue, if so why or should I stop, if so why stop. I am still undecided, however in the show, the character Lorelai never shies away from talking about anything just because it's uncomfortable. Granted, they have never had a topic as serious as this, but… Let me know what you think.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**_Warning this story deals with the violent crime of rape in a graphic nature. If you may be upset by reading about it, please, please, please DO NOT read this story. Having said that, I also want to point out that this story also deals with love and support and the human spirit. _**

_**A/N: Sorry I've been so long in updating this story. I've been really busy at work and haven't had a chance. It's hard to write this, it seems emotionally draining to do it but satisfying as well. Thanks to all the reviewers. You don't know what it means to read your words. It is very uplifting. Thank you again.**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but am eternally grateful to the WB and Amy Sherman-Palladino for creating such wonderful characters._

_Previously_

"_I have some other concerns I would like to talk to you about if you're up to it." The doctor asked._

"_Can I sit up a bit?" Lorelai asked the doctor and he nodded. He walked to the end of her bed and raised the top of it until she was almost in a sitting position. Lorelai carefully and slowly moved over to allow room for Rory to sit beside her. She patted the empty space and Rory cautiously joined her mother on the bed. Lorelai put her right arm around her daughter and held her close. Rory took her mother's left hand in both of her own and held it tightly. "Okay." Lorelai nodded to let the doctor know they were ready._

Chapter 4

"We need to talk about sexually transmitted diseases." He said matter-of-factly and Rory gasped. Lorelai let a tear slip down her cheek, but nodded to the doctor to let him know she wanted him to continue. "We have taken the necessary tests, a blood test and vaginal smears etc. and we should have the answers in a couple of days. We are starting you on a couple of different antibiotics as a precautionary measure. One type, of course, is to guard against infection and another broader antibiotic just incase any of the tests turn out positive. As you probably know there are a few sexually transmitted diseases that are incurable, but they are all treatable and we will cross that bridge if and when we come to it." He paused looking at the girls with tears running down their faces.

"What else?" Lorelai asked quietly, sensing that he wasn't finished yet and wanting to get it over with.

"HIV." The doctor spoke plainly, not mincing words. "HIV doesn't show up immediately after a possible infection. It can take anywhere from two weeks to six months to show itself. I want you to come back in a month and get tested, but remember, even if it is negative, you will need to get retested in six months."

Lorelai nodded and the doctor asked if either of them had any questions, but they didn't. Lorelai just wanted him to leave so that she could talk to her daughter.

"One more thing." He said before he left. "The police want to talk to you, but I'm going to tell them that they have to wait until tomorrow."

Lorelai shook her head, once again wanting to get it over with.

"No, you need your rest now. They can wait and come back tomorrow." He smiled. "Doctor's orders. Now if you think of anything you want to talk to me about, just get the nurse to page me and I'll be here as soon as I can."

"Thanks Doctor." Lorelai said and she turned and hugged her daughter tightly as the doctor walked out of the room. Again they cried into each others arms for a long time but eventually Lorelai pulled back to try to talk to her daughter.

"Rory, honey." Lorelai said gently stroking her daughter's hair. "Mommy needs to talk to you for a minute." Lorelai was afraid and nervous and she didn't know if she could do it. She was normally a very independent woman. She had to be, raising Rory all by herself and she had taught herself not to rely on anyone, but when that man had violated her so horribly, he had stolen a large part of her. He had broken her and she knew it. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know who she was anymore. She didn't know how to fix it, how to get back what he took or even what was gone, but the one thing she did know was that she was going to need help. She was going to need Rory. She had always been there for Rory and she would try her best to be there for her this time, but this time was different. This time she was going to need Rory, more than Rory needed her. This time was going to be harder than any time that had come before. She didn't know if she could do it. She didn't know if she could get through it. She didn't know anything except that she needed Rory, the one person in the world whom she would trust with her life.

She was Rory's mother. She was supposed to protect her child. She was supposed to keep Rory safe, and she hadn't done that. Sure, she knew that she had sacrificed herself to stop that man from touching her child, but she also knew that while Rory had not been physically harmed, she had still been raped just as surely as she herself had. She knew that as close as they were, what happened to one of them, happened to the other as well. Rory came first and that hadn't changed. Rory would always come first, it was just this time, Lorelai didn't know how or what to do. She always had a plan, whether it was right or wrong, or somewhere in between, in her mind, she could rationalize, and judge, and decide. This time she had no plan.

Rory noticed Lorelai's hesitation. "Mommy," She said quietly looking into Lorelai's eyes. "You can tell me, you know. You can tell me anything."

"I know sweetie." Lorelai was overwhelmed by her daughter's strength and determination. She guided her daughter's hands around her waist again. She needed Rory to hold her tightly and give her the strength to talk about what had happened to her.

Rory hugged her Mother's waist with a protective embrace and laid her head underneath her mother's chin. "Talk to me." She said quietly and Lorelai did.

"You know what that man did to Mommy today." She began and Rory nodded silently. "You know that he hurt Mommy a lot."

"I know." Rory said so quietly, that Lorelai almost didn't hear it. She couldn't see her daughter's face, but she knew that it was filled with the same hurt and pain that she herself was feeling.

Well, because of what happened, Mommy's feeling all mixed up inside." The tears ran down Lorelai's face and dropped into her daughter's hair. "I lost a part of myself today and I'm not sure how to get it back. I need you to help me. I need you to be strong for me and to be my best friend and my confidant and my beautiful, smart, wonderful daughter." Rory started to speak but Lorelai stopped her. "Sshh." She said softly. "Let me finish first." And Rory nodded. "And I promise I will be there for you. I'm not sure, but I think that you might be a little mixed up inside too."

"I am." Rory nodded and Lorelai ran her hands through her daughter's hair.

"That's what I thought." She could feel the wetness from Rory's tears on her chest. "So I'll be strong for you and I'll be your best friend and your confidant and your Mother."

"My beautiful, smart, wonderful Mother." Rory interjected and Lorelai smiled.

"We have to promise that we'll tell each other how we're feeling and if we need to cry, then we'll cry and if we need a hug, then we'll ask for one and if we need to talk, then we'll talk and together we'll get through this. Together, we'll both be okay."

"Okay." Rory said, somewhat tentatively.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked immediately but Rory just hugged her mother tighter. "It seems like you need to talk." Lorelai echoed her words from just a few minutes ago. "So we should talk."

Rory lifted her head and looked into her Mother's eyes. "I'm scared."

"I know you are." Lorelai wiped her daughter's tears from her cheeks. "I'm scared too, but as long as we have each other we will be okay."

"But what if." She hesitated and Lorelai prodded her.

"But what if what?" She questioned.

"But what if I loose you."

"You're not going to loose me." Lorelai assured her hugging her tightly again.

"But you could be sick. The doctor said. What if…" Rory was crying too hard to continue and Lorelai held her daughter securely. She felt her body shudder and the fear rise up in her throat. She swallowed hard trying to stay calm for her daughter, but the fear wouldn't go away, so she waited and when she was finally able to speak she took a deep breath.

"But I'm not sick now." She whispered, still trying to get rid of the lump in her throat, but continuing to try to calm Rory. "And we can't think about the what ifs. If something comes up, then we will deal with it, but we will drive ourselves crazy if we worry about what could happen."

"Okay." Rory said again.

"What else?" Lorelai asked gently.

"But…" She started and stopped.

"But what?"

"Never mind." She looked down. "It's a what if."

"If it's bothering you, then you should tell me." Lorelai wanted her daughter to talk to her about anything and she was annoyed at her self for her earlier choice of words. "Even if it is a what if."

"But what if I'm not good enough, what if I say the wrong thing, what if I can't help you." Her mother had never asked for her help like this before and she was very worried. She new it was important and she didn't want to fail her.

"Awe sweetie." Lorelai took her daughter in her arms again and Rory hugged her tightly. "All you have to do is hold me like this and you will help me more than you can ever know." Lorelai looked her daughter in the eye. "You are my heart, remember. There is nothing that you could say that would be the wrong thing. I just need you to be with me. More than anything I just need you."

"You have me." Rory said looking back at her mother. "You have all of me." As mother and daughter embraced again Rory kissed her mother's cheek and spoke softly into her ear. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too Rory." Her mother replied and laid her head on her daughter's shoulder.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Sorry it is taking me so long to update. I'm really busy at work right now and I don't have much time to write, but here is the long awaited chapter with Luke. Hope you like it.**_

Chapter 5

Luke got up from his chair in the waiting room and made one of his many trips down the hall to check on Rory and Lorelai. He checked on them a lot, he couldn't help himself. He didn't want to intrude, or even let them know he was still there. He just wanted, no, he needed to know that they were okay. He shook his head as he walked down the hall. Of course they weren't okay. They were about as far away from okay as anyone could get and he didn't know if either of them would ever be okay again.

He reached the door to Lorelai's room and he pushed on it ever so lightly as he always did. The door opened just a crack and he saw both Rory and Lorelai sleeping. Lorelai's head rested on Rory's shoulder and her arm was draped across Rory's stomach. Rory still had her arms around her mother's waist protectively. Luke felt like he was intruding on something, like he shouldn't be watching them but he couldn't force himself to turn away. He was glad that they were finally sleeping. Both of them needed some rest and both of them needed to escape the tragedy that had invaded their lives on this horrible day.

He watched them, noticing every time they breathed in or out and he was grateful that they were still alive. He examined their faces and he noticed that the peace that he wanted for them in sleep was not there. Even in their sleep he could see the pain and the fear that they felt deep inside their souls. He knew that they would never be the same, that somehow, something very valuable had been stolen from them today and he knew that even if they were able to get their lives back on track, they would still be different. He knew that his family had been changed forever. He shook his head. He knew that they weren't his family, not really, but in his mind they were. He loved Lorelai, even if she didn't know it, he loved her like he had never loved anyone in his life before. And Rory, what was there to say about Rory, she was the daughter he never had. She was so sweet and she cared about everyone, she was like her mother in so many ways and yet she was her own person. He wanted to be there for her like a Dad was supposed to be there for his daughter. He wanted to protect both of them but he hadn't protected them this time and it was killing him inside.

He felt the anger building up in him again. Never in his life had he wanted to kill another human being, but he seriously wanted to kill the man that had done this to Lorelai. He had been angry when his parents had died, but his anger was at the world in general. This was different, this time his anger was concentrated and focused and he almost couldn't control it. This man, if he could call him that, had taken all that Lorelai was, all the love and the laughter and that incredible spirit and he had tossed it all aside and used her like she was a piece of garbage. A tear slipped down his cheek and he reached up and wiped it away roughly.

Suddenly, Lorelai's eyes opened wide and she let out an ear piercing scream unlike anything he had ever heard before. Luke rushed into the room to try to help. "Lorelai it's okay." He didn't know what to do, but Rory did. Instinctively she wrapped her mother up in her arms and talked into her ear. "Mom, its Rory. Its okay, you're safe now. Mom, wake up. I love you Mom." Lorelai clung to her daughter as she tried to rid herself of the overwhelming fear in her heart. Luke stood in awe of Rory's strength and love for her mother and then he sensed that he should leave them alone, so he slowly made his way to the door.

"Don't go." Lorelai said quietly as Luke was just about to leave the room. He couldn't see Lorelai's face, as Rory still had her wrapped up in her arms and she wasn't about to let go anytime soon. Luke didn't think that Lorelai even knew he was there but he turned around and looked at Rory for confirmation. She nodded for him to stay and then she turned her attention back to her mother.

"Hey." She said quietly, still holding on tight. Lorelai's only response was to snuggle in closer to her daughter and Rory understood that she wasn't ready to talk yet, she just wanted to be held. Rory held Lorelai for a long time and eventually she felt her Mother's arms relax and she knew that she was once again asleep. Rory let out a sigh, laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before she was asleep again too.

---------------

Luke stood up defensively, as the door opened to Lorelai's room, but when he saw that it was only the nurse, he relaxed and sat back down in his chair. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 7:15 in the morning. He had sat there all night. After Lorelai and Rory had gone back to sleep, he wasn't sure what to do. He was glad that Lorelai wanted him to stay and if she wanted it, she was going to get it, if he could do anything about it. He had pulled a chair to the corner of the room and watched the girls sleep. He had thought and thought and thought about what he would say to them when they woke up. He wanted to say the right thing, he wanted them to trust him, but he was a man and he knew that that was going to work against him right now. He watched them breathe and noticed when it fluctuated or increased. He worried that Lorelai would have another nightmare and he never ever wanted to see the terror in her eyes that he had witnessed before Rory had wrapped her mother up in her arms earlier.

The nurse went about her duties quietly. She changed Lorelai's intravenous bag, she took Lorelai's temperature and she didn't wake up, but when she tried to take her blood pressure, Lorelai jumped and pulled her arm away frantically. "It's the nurse." Luke told her, getting up from his chair and walking towards the bed. "She won't hurt you, I promise." His voice was steady and calming, but he saw Lorelai's whole body begin to shake. Rory woke up and again talked into her mother's ear, explaining what was happening and reassuring her that no one would hurt her. Slowly, Lorelai calmed down and although she didn't stop shaking entirely, she allowed her blood pressure to be taken, but as soon as the nurse was done she tucked her arm in front of her and snuggled closer to Rory. The nurse apologized and left the room.

Rory held Lorelai tight for a long time and talked to her quietly. "Remember when I was little?" Rory asked her gently. "And I was too scared to sleep in my room alone." Lorelai nodded, all she wanted at that moment was to listen to her daughter's voice and be held tightly in her arms. "Remember what you did."

"No." Lorelai said softly

"You'd sit on the side of my bed and pub my back and tell me funny stories. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah." Lorelai whispered.

"You'd tell me stories about the people who stayed at the Inn, or about some funny animal family or about the people of the town of Bars Follow." Rory paused, remembering the stories. "Sometimes we'd make them up together, but my favorite stories were the ones about the mother and daughter, who lived in the one room house by the lake. They always ended up as a queen and princess in some far away land that had candy growing on trees or burgers that grew by the side of the road and everyone in the land would eat them and be happy. There would be rivers of coffee and houses made out of chocolate. Mmmm. It always sounded sooo good. I would fall asleep dreaming of magical kingdoms. You made me forget that I was afraid."

Lorelai looked up at her daughter and smiled. "I remember those stories."

"I'll always remember those stories." Rory smiled thinking about her mom while she was growing up. "But more than that, I'll remember how you always stayed with me until I fell asleep, in case I got scared again."

"I didn't want you to be afraid." Lorelai said quietly. "I didn't want you to ever be afraid,"

"I wasn't ever afraid, not when I was with you." Rory stroked her mother's hair. "You have protected me and comforted me and made sure I knew I was loved every day of my life. You were Super Mom." Rory stopped for a minute to formulate her words in her head. She wanted to say this right. She wanted her Mom to understand.

"I wasn't Super Mom." Lorelai protested strongly.

"You were Super Mom. You are Super Mom." Rory insisted. "And yesterday," Tears started running down her cheeks. "What you did… you sacrificed everything for me." She was having trouble continuing but this was important to her. "I don't know what to say, or what to do. There are no words to tell you how much I love you. I am the luckiest person in the world, because I have you for a Mother." Rory hugged her mother so tightly that Lorelai had to stop her.

"Hey." Lorelai said softly into Rory's ear. "Careful, Mommy's kind of breakable right now."

Rory immediately let go. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She said with tears streaming down her face.

"Don't let go." Lorelai pulled her daughter's arms tighter, just not quite that tight. "You know that you did the same thing for me don't you."

"I did not." Rory said in a disbelieving tone.

"You did too." Lorelai countered and looked her daughter in the eye. "You saved my life…and you scared me half to death in the process." She smiled at the irony of her words and continued. "When you stood up to face those gunmen, I couldn't breath, I was so scared. I thought I was going to die right there from lack of oxygen."

Rory smiled at her Mom's words. "You did not."

"I swear." Lorelai hugged her daughter and continued seriously. "You stood up there, risking your life, to try to save mine. I don't know why they let us go, but I do know that if you hadn't asked them, it wouldn't have happened."

"I was just more afraid of loosing you, than I was of facing the gunmen."

"And that tells me that you love me…" Lorelai paused. "Well that you love me more than you value your own life." Tears were running down Lorelai's face now. "Don't ever do that again." She said softly and she put her head back on Rory's shoulder.

"I do love you that much, Mom." Rory thought back to how she felt when she thought that her Mother might die and she shuddered violently. "I couldn't live without you mom, I couldn't."

"You don't have to Rory." Lorelai answered immediately. "I'm right here." They were quiet for a few minutes in each others arms, but then Rory broke the silence.

"Mom?" She wasn't sure if her Mother was asleep or not.

"Yes sweetie." Lorelai was thinking about her daughter and all that had been said.

"Can I say one more thing?"

"Sure sweetie, anything."

"Remember when I said you were Super Mom."

"Yeah."

"You don't have to be Super Mom this time."

"Thanks Sweetie."

Rory could tell that her Mom didn't really believe her. She knew Lorelai and she knew that she would once again put her own feelings aside as much as she could to help her daughter. "No, I mean it." She said with more feeling behind her words. "This time you need to take a break. You need to let me take care of you. You need to think about yourself for once and not me. This time I get to be Super Daughter."

Suddenly, Lorelai knew that Rory was serious about this and she looked up at her daughter's face. "You are always Super Daughter, you have been since the day you were born."

"Mom you know what I mean."

"I do sweetie and I love you so much for that." Lorelai reached up and tucked her daughter's hair behind her ears. "You're already taking care of me. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been here with me last night. You talked to me and held me and eventually I felt okay enough to fall asleep again and it was all because of you. I am going to need you and I know that you will have lots of opportunities to be Super Daughter, but…" She paused and Rory prodded her.

"But what?"

"But I want to be Super Mom once in a while too." Tears once again ran down her cheeks and onto her daughter's shoulder. "I need to take care of you too. It's a big part of who I am and I don't want to loose that, I can't loose that." She looked up at Rory to see if she understood what she was trying to say.

Rory was nodding her head. "Okay, you can be Super Mom once in a while if you promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me that you won't push your needs, or feelings aside to help me."

"But…" Lorelai stammered.

"But nothing."

"But that's how I go from Mom to Super Mom."

"No it's not." Rory hugged her mom again. "You're Super Mom just by being you."

"Okay." She hugged her daughter back. "We have a deal."

They had both forgotten that Luke was in the room but when Rory finally noticed him she smiled. "Luke's asleep." She told her Mom and she felt Lorelai's body instantly stiffen. "What's the matter Mom?"

"I'm nervous." Lorelai told her daughter the truth.

"About what?"

"Luke."

'What about Luke?"

"He knows what happened."

"Yeah."

"What will he think of me?"

"He won't think anything, he loves you Mom." Again Lorelai's body started to shake. "Mom what's the matter?" Rory was really getting worried.

"I'm scared." Lorelai snuggled close to her daughter again.

"Of Luke?" Lorelai nodded. "Mom Luke would never hurt you, he only wants to help."

"I know."

Rory didn't know what to do or say. This made no sense to her, so she was quiet for a minute trying to understand what was happening and then suddenly she remembered when Luke had touched her knee and she had flinched for no reason. His touch had made her feel very uncomfortable and she remembered the paramedic in the ambulance touching her arm and how she had snatched it away. That had made her uncomfortable too. And if she thought about someone else, besides her mother, touching her now she didn't like the thought, especially if it was a man. Suddenly she knew exactly what her mother was feeling but she tried to imagine it ten times worse. Her mother wouldn't just be uncomfortable, she was terrified. "I can ask him to leave." She suggested but Lorelai shook her head.

"No I want him here."

"I don't understand" Rory looked at her mother. "I know why you're scared, but if you're scared of him, why do you want him to stay?"

Lorelai shook her head. "It's hard to explain." She said, not really understanding it herself.

"Try." Rory said softly.

"Well." Lorelai started then stopped, not knowing exactly how to convey what was in her head. "It's kind of like one part of me is afraid and is saying 'get rid of him, I don't want him anywhere near me.' And another part of me that is just as afraid, but for different reasons, is saying 'No wait, he will protect us and help us' and then the other part pipes up again and says 'I really, really don't want him anywhere near me'. And it sort of goes on from there, kind of like a tug of war in my brain, but then every once in awhile there's a third part that says 'but Rory called him and asked him to come and she trusts him and you trust her and she loves him and even if I really can't feel it right now, I know that somewhere under all the other stuff going on in my mind right now, I love Luke too. I don't want to lose that. If we send him away now, I'm afraid that we will both loose that feeling. And even though the part that says I really, really don't want him anywhere near me is screaming in my head, I can't ignore the little one that says Rory trusts him and you should trust him too. Am I making any sense?" Slowly, Lorelai turned to look at Luke. She groaned at how sore her body was, trying to perform this simple action and she closed her eyes, afraid of actually seeing what she had turned to look at.

"Perfect sense." Rory said, the admiration she had for her mother coming through in her voice. "I do trust him Mom." She added quietly, trying to give her Mom the strength she needed.

"I know you do." Lorelai said under her breath, not quite able to believe it herself. She lay still for a minute, allowing the pain in her body to subside, then she slowly gathered her courage and opened her eyes. Her whole body shuddered as she saw Luke sleeping in the chair and she closed her eyes tightly and returned to her original position so that her back was to him.

Rory hugged her mother tightly and heard her groan again at the extreme pain the movement had caused her. "Mom." Rory said softly, but she gritted her teeth at the unfairness of it all and felt the tears slide down her cheeks as she thought about what her mom was going through.

"I'm okay sweetie." Her mother said after a few minutes. "I'm just sore."

"Yeah." Rory said silently, wishing that that was all it really was.

Both girls were silent for a few minutes, and Lorelai once again snuggled up to her daughter trying to feel safe in her arms. She thought about Luke and her body began to shake, as if it had a mind of its own. She thought about all the years she had known Luke and all the things he had done for her and Rory, and all the times he had been there for both of them and she knew that she had no reason to be afraid of him, but she couldn't seem to make her body understand that. She couldn't seem to shake this overwhelming fear that enveloped her when she thought of him. She had talked to the doctor and not been afraid, she didn't understand why. Why was she afraid of Luke, someone she knew and not the doctor, someone she had never met before? It didn't make any sense. She shook her head slightly, trying to shake the feeling and get a new perspective on her thoughts. She wondered if maybe it was because she didn't see the doctor as a real person. He was a professional, a doctor, not someone with a life outside of the hospital, not someone with thoughts and feelings, just a doctor, telling her what she needed to know. Luke was definitely a real person, and whatever the reason, she was definitely afraid of him.

"Mom." Rory said again quietly, breaking the silence in the room. She could feel the fear in her mother's body.

"Hmmm."

"It's okay, you know."

"What is sweetie?" Lorelai looked up at her daughter and Rory met her eyes.

"It's okay, that you're afraid." She said softly.

Lorelai felt the tears run down the side of her face and she looked at the love and acceptance in her daughter's eyes. "Thank you sweetie." She said as she hugged her tightly. "That means a lot to me."

"Well it's true you know. There's no right way or wrong way to feel."

"That's why I need you so much." Lorelai wiped away her daughter's tears. "With you, I'm just me and you understand me."

"I do understand you, and you understand me. We are a perfect match."

"Yes we are." She agreed and then snuggled closer to her daughter and hid her face as Luke yawned and stretched.

_**A/N: Hope you liked it. Let me know what you thought. Please review. I probably won't update for a couple of weeks now, but I'll get it up as soon as I can and don't give up on me. I will finish this story eventually. **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I know I took too long to update. Busy, busy, busy, with work and school, so sad – there is no time to write. Thanks to all who reviewed, I think without you it would have taken me longer to update, you made me feel so guilty, it pushed me to write. Anyway here is chapter 6, hope you enjoy it.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but am eternally grateful to the WB and Amy Sherman-Palladino for creating such wonderful characters.**_

_Previously_

"_Mom." Rory said again quietly, breaking the silence in the room. She could feel the fear in her mother's body._

"_Hmmm." _

"_It's okay, you know."_

"_What is sweetie?" Lorelai looked up at her daughter and Rory met her eyes._

"_It's okay, that you're afraid." She said softly._

_Lorelai felt the tears run down the side of her face and she looked at the love and acceptance in her daughter's eyes. "Thank you sweetie." She said as she hugged her tightly. "That means a lot to me."_

"_Well it's true you know. There's no right way or wrong way to feel."_

"_That's why I need you so much." Lorelai wiped away her daughter's tears. "With you, I'm just me and you understand me."_

"_I do understand you, and you understand me. We are a perfect match."_

"_Yes we are." She agreed and then snuggled closer to her daughter and hid her face as Luke yawned and stretched._

Chapter 6

"Hi Luke." Rory said quietly, holding her mother tightly.

Luke sat up in his chair with a start at the sound of Rory's voice. He rubbed his face with his hands and looked around him as he tried to get his bearings. He berated himself for falling asleep once he realized where he was. He wanted to be awake in case they needed him. He looked over towards the bed and saw that Lorelai had her head buried in Rory's shoulder and that Rory was holding tightly to her mother. "Hi." He answered Rory just as quietly.

The silence stretched between them for a few minutes and Luke new he had to continue. He had always been a man of few words but he wanted them to know that he was here if they needed him, that they could ask him for anything. He wasn't going to fail them now, it was too important. "Rory." He started out quietly and when she looked at him, he continued. "Is there anything you need? Anything I can do for you or get for you?"

Rory felt her Mom's body tense and begin to shake at the sound of Luke's voice and she slowly began to rub her Mom's back as she looked at Luke. She knew that Luke had noticed Lorelai's reaction when she saw the fear and anger in his eyes, but he covered it up quickly and looked at her. She knew he was afraid of making a mistake and doing something wrong, just as she herself was afraid of not being what her mother needed, and she also knew that he was angry at what had happened, just as she was. She shook her head. "I think we're okay for right now." She answered his question.

Luke nodded his head and looked at Lorelai's back. He felt his eyes getting misty as he thought about her and all that she was. He knew that she was afraid of him and he didn't know what to do. The thought of Lorelai being afraid of anything made him want to get up and shout his anger to the world. It made him want to seriously hurt the man who had so badly damaged her. He reached up and wiped away a tear, but he wasn't ashamed of it. He knew that Rory was watching him, but he also knew that she would understand. And he didn't want to hide it, he didn't duck his head or turn away, he just stared at Lorelai's back and wiped the tears away as they fell.

"Lorelai." He said quietly after a while and he watched her snuggle closer to Rory. He was determined to talk to her, maybe he could help her not to be so afraid. "I won't hurt you." He continued talking quietly and in a manner that he hoped was non-threatening. "I just want to help. If you need anything, just ask me. I'll get it, I'll do it, what ever you want I'll be here for as long as you want me to be." He paused, but other than her body continuing to shake, he got no response. "And if it will help you to send me away, then I'll do that too." His voice cracked as he spoke. "But I really don't want to go."

"No." Lorelai said into Rory's shoulder and it was only because Luke was totally concentrating every fiber of his being on Lorelai that he had heard her at all.

"No what?" He asked, happy that she was finally talking to him.

"Don't go." She said just as quietly.

"Good." He said letting out a deep breath. "I really don't want to go."

"Good." She said back.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked, wanting to keep up the dialogue, but she just shook her head. "Coffee?" He asked, wishing that she would stop shaking. "I can go get some coffee."

"No, don't go."

"Okay." He said finally understanding, and smiling a bit to himself. There was silence in the room as he watched Rory continue to rub her mother's back. She looked so small and he was amazed by her strength. She was so young, yet so grown up. She had always been grown up for her years and he knew that this was one time when she would need that attribute.

"What did you tell them?" Lorelai asked suddenly.

"What did I tell, who?" Luke wasn't sure what she was referring to.

"Them." Lorelai repeated, sounding frustrated and suddenly Luke knew what she meant.

"I didn't tell anybody anything." He said quickly. "I told Caesar to lock up and I didn't know when I would be back, then I got in my truck and came here."

"Good." Lorelai said quietly, then he heard her gasp.

"What?" Rory asked, concerned for her mother.

"The Inn." She said quietly. "I have to call Sookie." Her voice broke and she started to shake almost violently at the thought of the outside world. Up until now her world had consisted of this hospital room and Rory and now Luke. Thinking of her life was just too much for her. She couldn't deal with anything else right now.

"I'll call her." Luke volunteered. "I won't tell her anything, just that you had an accident and that you won't be in for a while." He smiled. "People are used to me not telling them anything."

"She'll worry." Lorelai said. "I can't let her worry, it's not fair."

"I'll tell her not to." Luke answered. He really wanted to do this for her. "I'll tell her that you're okay, but just not up to talking to anyone. I'll tell her that you'll call her when you're ready."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Luke stood up and he watched as Lorelai snuggled closer to Rory again. "I'm going to use the pay phone down the hall." He paused, not sure if this next comment was needed, but he didn't want her to be afraid. "And I swear I will be watching your room the whole time, you don't need to worry.

"Thank you." Lorelai said quietly, still not looking at him, but as soon as she heard the door close she looked up at Rory.

"You're doing great Mom." Rory said proudly and Lorelai smiled.

"Only because you're here." She looked her daughter in the eyes. "Only because I can feel you helping me and routing for me, and protecting me." She hugged her daughter tightly. "Now if only I could look at him." She said sadly.

"That will come with time." Rory said hugging her mother, clearly moved by what she had said. "Don't push yourself too hard right now. Talking to him is enough."

"Thanks." Lorelai said and quickly buried her head in Rory's shoulder as she heard the door open again. Rory looked over to the door, a little afraid herself, she knew it was too soon for Luke to be returning, and she gasped a little as she saw two police women walk in.

The women walked over closer to the bed and Rory whispered to her mom. "Mom it's the police." She said quietly and watched as Lorelai started to shake.

Lorelai took a deep breath and knew she had to get this over with. She just wasn't sure that she wanted to do it in front of Rory. She wasn't sure she could do it without Rory but she didn't want her daughter to hear the details of what had happened to her. Having Rory know that she had been violently raped was terrible but telling her the details of what had been done to her was more than any daughter should have to deal with. She took a deep breath and looked at the police women. She was glad that they were women and she knew that they had been picked to talk to her because they were women. She looked to the door, wanting Luke to come back. She knew that if she could look into Luke's eyes, he would know that she needed to do this alone. She sighed heavily, for her daughter, she could do this.

Just as one of the officers was about to speak the door to the room burst open and Luke came back in. He looked from the police, to Lorelai and Rory and his eyes settled on Lorelai's face. It was the first time he had seen it since he arrived and he couldn't stop himself from staring. Lorelai avoided his gaze but didn't hide her head. He noticed that she was shaking again and he tore his gaze away from her and looked at the police women. "I don't think this is a good time." He said clearly.

"And who are you?" One of the officers asked.

"A friend," He said simply. "And I'm…"

"It's okay." Lorelai interrupted, but looked at Rory, to see if she was okay. She nodded and Lorelai looked back at the police, although she didn't look them in the eye. "We can do this now."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked, watching her closely and she nodded. "Okay." He turned to leave.

"No." Lorelai said quickly and Luke stopped in his tracks. "Can he stay?" She asked the police, still not looking at any one in particular.

"It's up to you." The police woman answered. "But he can't interrupt or make any noises."

Lorelai nodded and turned her head a little bit towards Luke. "Will you stay?" She asked quietly, knowing that she would need him when the time came to talk about specifics.

Luke was afraid to stay, afraid of what he would hear, but Lorelai seemed to want him there, so he would stay. He would do anything for her and he nodded.

The police women asked them questions and the girls answered them, hanging on tightly to each other. As soon as they got to the part where the gunman stopped in front of Lorelai, tears began to fall from both of their eyes but they continued to tell their story. Lorelai skipped over the actual rape, telling the officers that they could come back to that later if they needed and they continued until they got out of the bank. The officers asked a few more questions and then returned to the actual rape. Lorelai took a deep breath and looked into Luke's eyes. Luke was surprised but looked back at her without blinking. As he stared into her eyes he knew what she was asking and he quickly walked to Rory's side of the bed.

"Rory." He said quietly. "Can you come out in the hall with me for a minute?"

"No." Rory replied without looking at him. She was looking at her mother and Lorelai summoned up all her courage and nodded.

"No Mom." Rory said quietly. "I don't want to leave you."

Lorelai pulled her close and spoke into her ear. "No you need to go for this. I'm okay. I'll be okay." She pulled back and looked into her daughter's eyes. "You don't want to hear this and I don't want you to hear this." Tears started to fall from Rory's eyes again and Lorelai hugged her tightly again. "Let me be Super Mom this time." She said quietly and then added. "Please."

Rory squeezed her mom tightly and nodded. She kissed her mom on the cheek and got off the bed, stretching out her arm to hold her mother's hand as long as she could. Luke didn't touch her, remembering her reaction the last time he had put his hand on her knee, but he was there if she needed him and he held the door for her and followed her out of the room.

Lorelai turned to the officers with tears rolling steadily down her face and told them what they needed to know. They told her that one of the men had been killed and one had gotten away, but the third one had been captured and they were pretty sure, from her description of him that the one that had been captured was the one that had raped her. They asked her if she would be willing to pick him out of some pictures if they brought them in and though she shuddered at the thought of seeing his face again she nodded.

Rory stood outside the door to the room with tears running down her face. She stared at the door, as if willing it to open and when it finally did she ran by the police officers, nearly knocking one of them down, climbed in beside her mother and hugged her fiercely.

"Careful." Lorelai said, feeling the pain of her daughter's hug, but she hugged her back and let the tears flow. "It's okay." She said soothingly, but she was worried at how upset her daughter was. "I'm okay." She pulled back a little and looked into Rory's eyes. "See I'm fine and you're fine. We're both fine."

Rory nodded and hugged her mother tightly again.

_**A/N: I hope you liked it. I'll try to update sooner, next time. By the way, I'm not giving up on my other story, Life Changing Events, I know it's been a long time since I updated it. Time is my enemy, I will update it eventually, be patient with me please.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I haven't updated this in like forever and I don't know if anyone out there is even interested in it anymore, but I'm back and I hope someone will read this new chapter. Hopefully I should be updating again more regularly. I'll see if anyone's still interested. Thanks to everyone who sent me a review. I really appreciate them and they are what made me work so that I could get back to writing and posting this story.**_

**_REMEMBER THIS STORY STILL HAS TO DO WITH THE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE CRIME OF RAPE AND PLEASE DON'T READ IT IF IT IS GOING TO UPSET YOU. THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION AT ALL. It is hard to read sometimes, especially because we all love Lorelai and Rory and we hate to think of something bad happening to them. BUT, they will get through this, I promise and life will be good again eventually._**

_**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

_**Last time on Gilmore girls and Gunmen**_

_The officers asked a few more questions and then returned to the actual rape._

"_No you need to go for this. I'm okay. I'll be okay." She pulled back and looked into her daughter's eyes. "You don't want to hear this and I don't want you to hear this." Tears started to fall from Rory's eyes again and Lorelai hugged her tightly again. "Let me be Super Mom this time." She said quietly and then added. "Please."_

_Rory stood outside the door to the room with tears running down her face. She stared at the door, as if willing it to open and when it finally did she ran by the police officers, nearly knocking one of them down, climbed in beside her mother and hugged her fiercely. _

"_Careful." Lorelai said, feeling the pain of her daughter's hug, but she hugged her back and let the tears flow. "It's okay." She said soothingly, but she was worried at how upset her daughter was. "I'm okay." She pulled back a little and looked into Rory's eyes. "See I'm fine and you're fine. We're both fine."_

_Rory nodded and hugged her mother tightly again._

Chapter 7

It was about an hour after the police had left and all was quiet in Lorelai's room. Lorelai had her arms around Rory and her head buried in Rory's shoulder. Rory was facing her mother on her side and was gently rubbing her mother's back. Her head was resting on the pillow and her chin was touching the top of her mother's head. Neither of them were sleeping, but they weren't talking either. Luke had his eyes closed and was leaning back in his chair, his head resting on a pillow Rory had given him.

Rory squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to erase the thoughts that were swirling around in her mind, but it had no effect. She couldn't help but replay the events over and over. She couldn't shake the images of her mother being dragged off to be brutally assaulted, or of the sight of her mother when she returned, with her clothing half off and that terrible man pulling her along by her hair. She couldn't shake the feeling of absolute terror that had been with her since the gunmen had first entered the bank and how she didn't think she could get anymore terrified than that. Boy, had she been wrong. She didn't know how to describe the feelings that had come with the rape of her Mother and the way she felt when she thought her Mother might die. She wanted to shout out to everyone how unfair it all was. She wanted to go to the roof and take a megaphone and let everyone in the whole world know how much she loved her Mother and how she had done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve this and yet it had happened. She wanted to tell the whole world how loving and kind and wonderful her mother was. She wanted to tell them how she had sacrificed her life to make sure her daughter was happy, how she had put her daughter first, before everything else, even herself. She wanted to scream and shout and get angry, but most of all she wanted to go back in time and stop herself and her Mother from ever entering that bank. She opened her eyes wide and stared at the wall in front of her. She was worried that something was going to happen. What if her mother was sick, what if she contracted HIV or some other disease they didn't know about. What if she lost her. She couldn't live without her Mother. She shivered as she thought of it and she felt Lorelai hug her tighter and she responded by removing her hand from her Mother's back and running her fingers gently through her Mother's hair.

Lorelai felt her daughter shiver and she hugged her tighter, trying to remind Rory that she was here with her and that they were both safe now. She sighed when she felt Rory run her hand through her hair. It felt good and it calmed her a little. She thought about what she was trying to convey to Rory through her hug. She didn't know what she would do if Rory wasn't here to hold her. She smiled a little bit, because she probably wouldn't be here at all if it wasn't for Rory standing up in that bank and demanding that they let her go. If it wasn't for Rory she would probably be dead. She felt her eyes get wet as she thought about that gunman looking at Rory and threatening to hurt her the way he did. She knew she couldn't let that happen and she had prevented it, but at what cost. How were they supposed to go on from here? How did they get their lives back? How… She stopped and took a deep breath. She didn't even know what questions to ask. She didn't know what to do. She was always one to control every situation she was in. She would laugh and joke and babble on and on until she got things back to where she knew what was happening and what she was going to do next, and if she couldn't control the situation, she could leave, but by leaving she really was still controlling things. She shook her head a little, it was all an illusion. She didn't have any control. She didn't even have control of her own body. In the blink of an eye all of her so called control had vanished the minute that man had violated her. Nobody really had any control. They all thought they did, but really there was always someone or something stronger just waiting to take it away.

Lorelai heard the door to her room open and she snuggled in closer to Rory. Why did they have to keep bothering her? All she wanted was to hold onto her daughter and let the world pass her by. She didn't want to see anyone or talk to anyone, she just wanted peace and quiet. Why couldn't everyone understand that? She felt Rory turn her head to see who had entered the room. Rory sighed and put her arms around her Mother and whispered into her ear.

"Mom, the doctor's here." She said quietly.

Lorelai didn't move right away, but after a minute she took a deep breath and let go of her daughter. She slid her arms back to her side and clasped Rory's hand firmly in her own as she slowly turned onto her back and faced the doctor.

Luke, who had stood up as soon as he heard the door open, waited until he was sure Lorelai was okay, then he quietly slipped out the door and closed it behind him. He paced up and down in front of the door to Lorelai's room. He was trying not to think, not to get angry. It was taking all of his concentration not to let his anger get the better of him. The more time he spent with the girls the angrier he became. He saw how hard it was for them, how everything terrified them and he just wanted to make it all better. He sighed and looked at his watch for the umpteenth time since he had been in the hall. He didn't like being away from them. He wanted the doctor to leave.

"Luke."

He looked up, a little startled at the sound of his name, and saw Sookie almost running towards him. He put his finger up to his mouth to tell her to be quiet. This was a hospital, she shouldn't be yelling down the hallway, besides he didn't want Lorelai to hear her and get upset. He walked towards her and he noticed the concern in her eyes. Her lips were pressed tightly together and her eyebrows were crinkled with worry.

"What's going on?" she asked as he neared her and he looked away. He knew he couldn't ease her worry. "Luke?" Sookie didn't understand why he wouldn't tell her anything. "Is Lorelai okay?"

Luke looked back at her. He had to say something. "She's not okay." He said and Sookie gasped. "But she's not gonna die." He added quickly. "She should be home in a few days."

"What happened?"

"I can't tell you." He saw the confusion on Sookie's face. "Lorelai has to tell you." He said softly.

Suddenly he remembered why she was here, why he had asked her to come and told her where Lorelai was. "Did you bring it?" he asked and looked down at the bags in her hand, knowing that she had.

"Yeah." She said as she gave him the three bags in her hands. "This ones for Rory." She pointed to the first bag. "And that ones for Lorelai." He looked into the third bag and smiled. He hoped that this would help the girls relax a little.

"Thanks." He said quietly.

"Can I see her?" Sookie asked just as quietly.

Luke didn't answer her for a minute, but when he looked up into her eyes and saw how worried she was, he said he would ask Lorelai. "She might say no." He warned her. "She might not be ready to see anyone."

"Okay." Sookie said quietly, looking at the floor.

"And if she says yes, you have to promise me one thing."

"Okay." Sookie said again. She was willing to agree to anything, if she could just see Lorelai for herself, to see what was wrong.

"You have to promise me that you won't touch her. You can't hug her or anything unless she makes the first move."

"Why?" Confusion was again displayed on Sookie's face.

"Just promise me." Luke said gruffly.

"I promise." Luke nodded and turned back down the hall carrying the three bags. "Stay here." He said to Sookie and he prayed silently that he was doing the right thing. As he got close to the door of Lorelai's room, it opened and the doctor walked out. Luke hurried to catch him and asked if everything was okay. The doctor assured him that Lorelai was doing fine. He had removed the IV and although her blood count was still low, it had improved significantly overnight. Luke nodded and turned and opened the door a little and stuck his head in. The first thing he saw was Lorelai still on her back with her eyes shut tightly, as if in pain. Rory was holding her Mother's hand tightly in both of hers and softly stroking the back of it, while whispering in her ear. She saw Luke and nodded that he could come in. Luke pushed open the door and quietly entered the room. He sat down in his chair, still clutching the bags in his hand.

Lorelai smiled slightly as she focused on the sound of her daughter's voice and not the residual pain she was feeling after the examination the doctor had done. That's all she wanted was to listen to Rory and make the pain go away. And it did, slowly, and eventually she loosened her grip on her daughter's hand and Rory smiled, knowing that she was feeling better. Lorelai knew that her daughter had pulled the covers back over her and she had heard Luke enter the room quietly but she wasn't quite prepared to hear his voice.

"Lorelai." He said quietly and she froze for a moment, but Rory once again whispered into her ear, telling her it was okay.

"Yeah."

"I have something for you and Rory." He stood up and put one of the bags on the bed beside Lorelai and handed the other bag to Rory. He retreated to his chair and stood beside it. "Some clothes for Rory and a nightgown and robe, oh and some bunny slippers?" He smiled and raised his eyebrows. "for you."

Lorelai gasped and opened her eyes and looked at the bag beside her. She slowly reached out and opened it. She looked inside and saw her heavy cotton nightgown and smiled when she saw her fuzzy bunny slippers. She felt tears come to her eyes as she searched through the bag and saw her robe and her toothbrush and her hairbrush and some makeup, all stuff from home, her stuff and she loved it. She removed her nightgown and brought it up to her face and smelled it and rubbed it's softness along her cheeks. "How?" she asked not looking up.

Luke hesitated. This was the hard part, the part that he was not so sure about, but he couldn't back out now. "Sookie brought it." He said quietly and he heard Lorelai's sharp intake of breath. "You don't have to see her if you're not up to it." He continued quickly. "But she really wants to see you. She's worried about you."

"Does she know what happened?" Lorelai asked closing her eyes tightly wanting to stop the tears that were forming.

Luke shook his head and then realized that Lorelai couldn't see him. "No." was all he said.

Lorelai lay quietly for a few minutes as the tears she was trying to stop finally escaped and ran down from her eyes into her hair beside her ears. Rory reached up and wiped away her tears with her right hand, while she held her Mother's hand tightly with her left. Slowly Lorelai turned and looked at Rory and Rory kissed her Mother's cheek and whispered in her ear. "It's up to you Mom." Lorelai looked up to the ceiling for a few minutes. She knew she couldn't turn Sookie away, but she didn't know if she was strong enough to tell Sookie what happened and she would have to tell her if she saw her. She closed her eyes and nodded. "I'll see her." She said so quietly that Luke almost missed it.

"Let me know when you're ready. There's no rush, you can take your time."

"I'm ready." She said immediately, knowing that if she thought about it anymore, she would change her mind.

Luke looked at Rory and she nodded and he walked out the door to get Sookie.

Lorelai watched the door close behind him and then turned her head to Rory and looked at her daughter with terror in her eyes. "It's okay Mom." Rory said gently. "I'm right here and I'll help you if you need me to. I'll tell her what happened if you want." Rory offered.

Lorelai nodded. "Thanks." She said quietly. "But I want to try to do it. Sookie deserves that much from me." She grasped Rory's hand in both of her own. "But if I can't, if I start to cry or something…" Her voice trailed off and Rory finished her mother's sentence.

"If you can't I'll finish for you." She brought her Mother's hands up to her lips and kissed them softly. "I'm proud of you." She said quietly. "I've been proud of you all my life."

"How did I get so lucky?" Lorelai said looking into her daughter's eyes. "I have the most wonderful daughter on earth."

Luke pushed the door open and stuck his head in. He didn't say anything he just stopped and looked at Lorelai. Lorelai took a deep breath and nodded. Luke entered the room and stood aside and Sookie walked into the room timidly.

_A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, the next chapter should be up soon_.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I know I am slow at getting new chapters up (really, really slow), but please be patient with me. I am doing the best that I can.**_

_**REMEMBER THIS STORY STILL HAS TO DO WITH THE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE CRIME OF RAPE AND PLEASE DON'T READ IT IF IT IS GOING TO UPSET YOU. THAT IS NOT MY INTERTION AT ALL. It is hard to read sometimes, especially because we all love Lorelai and Rory and we hate to think of something bad happening to them. BUT, they will get through this, I promise and life will be good again eventually.**_

**_I hope you enjoy this chapter with Sookie._**

Chapter 8

Sookie walked into Lorelai's hospital room slowly and stopped at the end of the bed. "Lorelai?" It was a question and Lorelai knew exactly what she was asking.

Lorelai found herself looking at Sookie like you looked at someone you hadn't seen in a long time. She examined Sookie to see if she had changed. She took note of her clothes and her hair and then she realized that she had seen Sookie only three days ago. She sighed, to her it felt like a life time ago. Finally she looked into Sookie's eyes and she saw what she expected to see. She saw worry, and confusion, and fear, but suddenly, she felt a warm feeling inside her heart and she saw the love. "Sookie." She said quietly, trying to figure out her own feelings. She knew that she loved Sookie. She knew that if she had had a sister she would want it to be Sookie. Sure Sookie was a little unfocused at times, and clumsy sometimes, but she was also a brilliant chef and she had a really big heart and she always wanted the best for everyone. She was unique and Lorelai loved everything about her. Lorelai knew all this, but knowing it and feeling it were two different things and right now she was just trying to feel it all again. She felt the warm feeling in her heart and she felt loved, now she just wanted to love her back.

"Lorelai are you okay?" Sookie asked, still standing at the end of Lorelai's bed.

Lorelai tore her gaze away from Sookie and looked up at the ceiling. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes tight, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to cascade down her cheeks. She didn't know how to answer such a question. She knew the truthful answer was simple. No, she wasn't okay, but she couldn't just blurt it out. She didn't want to worry Sookie any more than she already was.

"Hi Sookie." Rory said squeezing her mother's hand slightly and Lorelai squeezed back, grateful for her daughter's interruption. She needed a few minutes to compose herself.

"Hi Rory." Sookie turned and looked at Rory.

"Thanks for bringing our stuff." She said lifting her bag slightly and pointing at Lorelai's bag. "It's great to have our own things."

"You're welcome." Sookie turned back to Lorelai. "I didn't know what to bring. I looked at all your pajamas and nightgowns and I know that you wear t-shirts and pajama pants sometimes, but then I saw that nightgown with the unicorns on it and it looked a little magical and it was soft and I thought it might be warm so I picked it. I hope that's okay, and then I saw your bunny slippers and I thought they might cheer you up a little bit." Sookie's voice trailed off as she saw Lorelai smile a little bit and she just smiled back at her.

"This is perfect." Lorelai said quietly, bringing the nightgown up to her face again and rubbing it gently against her cheek.

"Good." Sookie replied and an awkward quiet settled over the room.

"That's not all Sookie brought." Luke said picking up the third bag and reaching in, he pulled out a thermos and two cups.

"Coffee?" Lorelai whispered and looked up at Luke, who nodded. Lorelai looked away quickly, but noticed that it wasn't as hard to look at Luke this time. It was the third time she had looked into his eyes. The first time was when the police were there and she needed him to help Rory, the second time was just a few minutes ago before when he poked his head in before Sookie and this time. It still wasn't easy by any means, but it wasn't as hard as the first time.

"Do you want some coffee?" Luke asked, bringing Lorelai out of her thoughts and she smiled and answered like she knew they all wanted her to.

"Coffee, coffee, coffee!" She said as cheerfully as she could, and as she looked around the room at their smiling faces, she knew that these three people were her world right now and she felt very lucky to have them.

Luke poured the coffee and handed both Lorelai and Rory a cup. Lorelai took a few sips and looked at Rory. She knew the time had come to tell Sookie what happened. She couldn't put it off any longer. Rory smiled a little and nodded her head, knowing what her Mother was asking. Lorelai squeezed her daughter's hand and turned and looked into Sookie's eyes. "Sookie." She said quietly after a minute and she set her coffee on the night stand beside the bed and reached out her hand.

Sookie quickly walked around to Lorelai's side of the bed and took Lorelai's hand in both of her own. "Lorelai what happened?" she almost whispered.

Lorelai took a deep breath. "Luke can Sookie borrow your chair for a few minutes?" she asked, never taking her eyes off of her best friend. Luke nodded and brought the chair up and Sookie sat down, never letting go of Lorelai's hand. Lorelai wasn't real comfortable with Sookie holding her hand in the beginning but after a few minutes, she found that she liked it and she squeezed Sookie's hands tightly before she began.

"I'm not sure how to say this." She began nervously. "but I guess there's no easy way. I just want you to know first that I'm going to be okay. It's going to take a lot of work and it's not going to be easy, but both Rory and I will be okay eventually." In her mind Lorelai wasn't sure if this was true at all but she had to tell Sookie this. She had to soften the blow somehow and this was all she could think of. She looked at Rory and blinked back a few tears. Rory hugged her mother briefly, then let her go so she could continue. Lorelai closed her eyes for a few minutes wondering how she was going to get through this, then she decided to start at the beginning. "Did you hear about the bank robbery in Hartford?" She asked and Sookie gasped and nodded. "Rory and I were in the bank."

"What?" Sookie looked at Lorelai and Lorelai saw the fear in Sookie's eyes as she nodded. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Sookie repeated. Lorelai was quiet for a few minutes letting it sink in before she continued. Sookie looked down at Lorelai's hand that she was holding and began to play with Lorelai's fingers.

"Sookie." Lorelai said quietly, with tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. Sookie didn't look up, but sensed that the worst was about to come, and she increased the rate that she played with Lorelai's fingers. "Sookie I was raped." Lorelai said quickly just above a whisper and she heard Sookie suck in her breath and she squeezed her hand tightly.

Lorelai turned a little towards Rory and Rory wrapped her mother up in her arms and held her while she cried. Sookie brought Lorelai's hand up to her mouth and kissed it, then she held it there as tears fell from her eyes as well.

Lorelai cried into Rory's shoulder for a few minutes, then she realized that Sookie still had her hand in her own and was holding it against her cheek. She felt the wetness of Sookie's tears on the back of her hand and slowly she turned her head away from Rory and looked at Sookie through her tears. She removed her hand from Sookie's and gently laid the palm of her hand against Sookie's cheek. Sookie covered Lorelai's hand with her own and slowly looked up and into Lorelai's eyes. She didn't know what to say to Lorelai. What do you say when your best friend tells you something like that? Something so horrific that you can't even really comprehend what it means, or what it feels like. She understood, of course what it meant in her mind, but in her heart she couldn't imagine such a terrible thing. In her heart she couldn't accept that it had happened, and she began to shake her head. "No." she said quietly, closing her eyes, trying to make it all go away. "No, no, no…"

"Sookie." Lorelai said interrupting her and moving her thumb across her best friends cheek, wiping away her tears as they fell.

Sookie stopped and stayed still for a minute, taking comfort from Lorelai's hand on her cheek. Slowly she opened her eyes and tucked her fingers around her friends hand and squeezed it a little. "I love you Lorelai Gilmore." She said quietly. "And I will do anything for you."

"I know Sookie." Lorelai said looking into her best friends eyes. "I love you too." And she smiled as she realized that she did feel it. For the first time since Sookie had entered the room she felt the love that she had for this woman deep down in her soul.

The room was quiet for a few minutes, then Lorelai patted Sookie's cheek and removed her hand. "Hey, hand me my coffee will you." She said as she reached towards it. "I haven't had Luke's coffee since…" She stopped and realized it hadn't been that long, just yesterday morning, before she and Rory had driven into Hartford. "Well it seems like it was eons ago. I'm definitely going into withdrawal." She took the cup that Sookie offered and took a drink, grateful to have something to do and something else to focus on.

Lorelai stared into her coffee cup for a few minutes. "That's it." She said quietly and both Sookie and Luke looked at Rory to see what she meant but Rory shook her head.

"What's it?" Rory asked her mom, squeezing her hand at the same time.

Lorelai continued to look into her coffee cup, as if she could find all the answers to her questions in there if she just looked hard enough. "Us, the four of us. That's it. I don't want anyone else to know…" She stuttered a little. "what happened." She finally finished, turning her head slowly to look at Rory.

"But, Mom." Rory said without thinking, her thoughts immediately going to her grandparents. "what about…"

"No Rory." Lorelai interrupted her daughter, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I can't." She said, barely above a whisper. She turned her eyes back to her coffee cup. "I can't do it." She stopped and then added. "I just can't." Lorelai knew that if she told her parents, it would somehow end up being her fault. After all everything was her fault with her parents. Nothing was ever good enough, she was never good enough and she couldn't face them with this, she couldn't sit there and let them belittle her or blame her, not about this. She just couldn't do it.

Rory thought about how her grandparents treated her mother and as much as she wanted to tell them and as much as she loved them, she hated the way they treated their only daughter. She reached out and touched her mom's face, trying to get her to look in her direction. She wiped away a tear as it fell and looked into her mother's eyes as she slowly turned her head. "Okay." She said quietly. "That's it, only the four of us."

Lorelai smiled at her daughter and put both arms around her and hugged her. "Thank you." She said into Rory's ear. "I love you."

"Well we have to tell them something." Sookie said, as Lorelai let go of Rory. "They know that something happened with the way Luke left in such a hurry and the look on his face as he left the diner and then they realized that both of you were missing and they know that something happened." Sookie stopped and took a breath. "What are we going to tell them?"

"Tell them we had a car accident." Lorelai said.

"That won't work." Luke said and took a step forward so that he was standing behind Sookie. "Your jeep's not damaged."

"My jeep." Lorelai gasped and closed her eyes. "It probably has a hundred tickets on it by now." She opened her eyes and looked at Sookie. "I parked it in a 30 minute zone."

"I'll take care of it." Sookie said. "Give me your keys and I'll take it home to Stars Hollow."

"What if it was towed?" Lorelai said, looking scared. She couldn't deal with the things that encompassed her day to day life. Things that would normally have seemed like small problems to her now seemed monumental.

"Don't worry." Sookie said quietly. "I'll take care of it. Just give me your keys."

Lorelai stared at her for a minute. "I have no idea." She said turning to look at Rory, but Rory shook her head.

"They gave me your things." Luke said bending over and opening the bottom drawer of the table beside the bed. "I put them in here." He pulled out her purse, but seemed to want to hide it from her.

"My purse." Lorelai said, reaching for it and Luke reluctantly gave it to her. She gasped as she took it, and dropped it on her lap. One side, the side that Luke had been shielding from her was covered in dried blood.

The purse landed on Lorelai's legs, with the dried blood in full view and Rory gasped loudly just as her mother had. They all stared at it for a few minutes and Sookie was the first to recover. She gingerly picked it up, being careful not to touch the blood. She snapped open the clasp and dumped the contents into the bag that held Lorelai's things from home, then she stood up. "I'll be right back." She said as she crossed the room towards the door with the purse in hand.

"I'm so sorry Lorelai." Luke said once Sookie had left the room. They all still stared at the place on the bed where the purse had landed and Luke was kicking himself for not getting rid of the purse as soon as he had seen it. "I just didn't know what to do with your stuff."

Lorelai heard the regret in Luke's voice. "No it's okay Luke." She said, unable to pull her gaze from her lap, but suddenly she heard Rory crying beside her and immediately she turned and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "It's okay sweetie." Lorelai said into her ear. "Mommy's okay now. I'm going to be fine."

Rory nodded her head and buried her face in her mother's shoulder. The last time she had seen her mother's blood was in the bank, when she wasn't sure if her mother would live or die. "I'm sorry." She said quietly, trying to push away the overwhelming fear that had come back to her at the sight of her mother's blood, but she was having trouble stopping the flow of tears.

"It's okay." Lorelai rubbed her back. "Just let it go. Mommy's here."

Sookie came back into the room without the purse and was surprised to find Lorelai and Rory wrapped up in each other. She looked at Luke who mouthed 'Rory'. Sookie sighed and felt her eyes begin to water as she began to realize the pain that both Lorelai and Rory were in. She sat down heavily in the chair and wiped at her eyes.

"Mugged." Rory said after a few minutes. She still had her face buried in her mothers shoulder and the word came out muffled.

"What?" Lorelai said pulling back a bit so she could look into her daughter's eyes. Rory smiled through her tears and gently pushed her mom back so she was resting against the raised bed in a semi sitting position, then Rory laid her head on her mother's shoulder and snuggled up to her. Lorelai put her arm around her daughter's shoulders and pulled her in tightly against her. Once they were settled, Rory put her arm lightly around her mother's waist resting it on her stomach. "We could tell everyone we were mugged." She explained quietly.

Lorelai looked down at the top of her daughter's head. "Mugged." She repeated, deep in thought. After a minute she added. "In broad daylight? And in Hartford?"

"It happens." Luke added.

"Yeah." Sookie started to get all worked up. "I heard of this couple one time who were walking down the street and a man jumped out in front of them and forced them into an ally with a gun and robbed them and beat them up."

"In Hartford?" Lorelai asked, turning to look at her friend.

"No." Sookie looked down at her hands. "But it could have been Hartford." She added trying to defend her story.

Lorelai thought for a minute, then moved her hand and tucked a stray hair behind Rory's ear. "Okay," She said. "Mugged it is. It's a good thing I have such a smart daughter to think of these brilliant ideas." She gave Rory's shoulders a little squeeze and Rory lifted her head and looked up at her mother. They smiled at each other for a minute, then Rory replaced her head on her mother's shoulder.

Lorelai looked down at her daughter snuggled against her and it reminded her of when Rory was little and she would read to her every night before she went to sleep. They would settle in on Rory's bed just like this. It was a familiar position for both mother and daughter. She felt her daughter's arm lying across her stomach with her hand securely tucked around her waist and she gently placed her hand on Rory's arm and began to rub it back and forth. Rory snuggled into her mother a little more to let her know that she liked the new contact. Lorelai had missed this close contact with her daughter, she loved holding Rory in her arms.

When Lorelai thought of Rory, she immediately thought of her heart. Rory owned it as far as she was concerned and she liked to call Rory her heart. She was by far the most important person in the world, she was her best friend, her daughter and her confidant all rolled into one.

Lorelai turned and looked at Sookie. While Rory was her best friend, Sookie was her best girlfriend. Being Rory's mother meant that some topics were off limits with Rory, specifically men. She went to Sookie with all her boyfriend problems, and, she thought, not just problems, but the good things too. Sookie was really pretty good at giving advice in that area. She knew Lorelai really well and she could tell when she was freaking out about something and most of the time she could talk her down off whatever ledge she was on at that particular time. She also shared many of the worries she had about Rory. If she was being a good mother, if this decision or that decision was right. Was she going to scar her child for life. Was she doing the right thing and although Sookie didn't have children of her own, she listened and always, always tried her best to help.

Lorelai took a deep breath and slowly turned to look at Luke and although she tried to look at his face she found herself looking at his feet. She stared at his shoes and felt her body begin to shake and she tried to stop it but was having limited success. She knew that Luke would never hurt her, in fact she knew that he would do everything in his power to prevent her from being hurt, but he was big and powerful and he had the ability to hurt her just like… She shook her head and tried to erase those thoughts from her mind. It wasn't Luke, it wasn't Luke. Luke was her friend. Luke loved her. She forced her eyes to travel up from Luke's shoes. Luke did a lot for her and Rory. He made the very best coffee and he fed both of them and he listened to her and he let her tease him mercilessly. He was her go to guy when she had had a bad day and he would listen to her complain and ramble on forever. She was always amazed how he could cheer her up with just a couple of words and a piece of pie. He made the best pies. He did what ever she asked him to do. He had fixed everything in her house multiple times. He was always there for her whatever she needed and now here he was again, even though she wouldn't even look at him, he was here, sleeping in that stupid chair, totally worn out, looking out for her and Rory. She looked up into his face and she saw that he was smiling at her. She stared for a minute at his mouth and tried to return the smile, then she closed her eyes and laid her head back on the pillow.

Lorelai sighed and concentrated on feeling the love from the three people around her. She felt like she needed it to go on. Just like she needed air to breath she needed to feel loved. Rory was easy. She felt her daughter's love and it filled her up. She knew that what ever happened from here, Rory would always be there for her. She scrunched up her eyebrows as she turned her concentration to Sookie. She tried to think of examples from her past to convince her and she could think of a lot of them, but the biggest thing that convinced her is that Sookie called her on her mistakes. Even if it meant getting Lorelai mad at her and Sookie hated fighting. She cared enough to risk a fight. She loved her. Luke was hard. Her fear was telling her to forget about him, Sookie and Rory were enough, but she knew that wasn't true. She needed Luke too and she concentrated as hard as she could. Again she tried to think of examples from her past but they didn't come to her as readily as they did about Sookie. It took her a few minutes but when she finally was able to overcome her fear, thoughts about Luke flooded her mind and as she sorted through them one by one, she realized that she could feel his love. She didn't have to pinpoint it down to one thing like she did with Sookie, everything Luke did for her said that he loved her. If anyone was looking at her, and Sookie and Luke were, they would have seen her face relax and the frown disappear from her face as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Luke and Sookie looked at each other but they both shook their heads, they didn't know what it meant but they were glad that Lorelai looked a little bit more content.

"Lorelai I should go." Sookie said breaking the quiet in the room.

"You don't have to." Lorelai opened her eyes to look at her friend.

"You and Rory need your rest." She pointed at Rory, who had her eyes closed and appeared to be asleep.

"You sleepy honey?" Lorelai asked her daughter quietly.

"I'm fine." Rory said but her voice was husky with sleep.

Sookie reached into Lorelai's bag and fished around for the keys to her jeep. "There." She said as she found what she was looking for. "I'll take care of this. Nothing to worry about."

"Thanks Sookie." Lorelai said, remembering the blood on her purse. She closed her eyes tightly for a second, but opened them again immediately. "Thanks for bringing our stuff and thanks for staying with us for a while."

Sookie nodded and stood up. She hesitated for a minute. "Lorelai." She said quietly.

"Yeah."

"Can I give you and Rory a hug?"

Lorelai smiled. "You'll have to ask Rory? She said as she bent her head down and kissed the top of her daughter's head.

Sookie smiled at Lorelai's answer. "Rory?"

Rory lifted her arm off her mother's stomach. "Sure," She said preparing for the hug, "Just be gentle with mom okay."

"I will." She said and she hugged two of the most important people in her life.

After Sookie left, Lorelai turned to Luke. "Thanks." She said working up the courage to look him in the eyes.

"For what?"

"For everything." Lorelai replied. "For being here with us. For bringing Sookie here. It was good for me to see Sookie. Sookie is important to me and it showed me that even though I'm different now, I'm still me. I'm still Lorelai Gilmore and the people that love me will know that even if I forget sometimes." She had again been staring at Luke's mouth but as she finished speaking she looked up into his eyes.

"That's good." He said looking back at her, trying to show her with his eyes how much she meant to him. "It's good that you know that." He hesitated for a minute and Lorelai looked away. "And we will remind you so don't worry if you forget sometimes."

Luke smiled to himself. He was trying so hard to let Lorelai know that she could count on him for whatever she needed. He wasn't good with words, he never had been, but he knew this was important and he thought he did good that time.

"Thanks." Lorelai said again.

_**Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it. Please review.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Ok, I know I'm really slow at posting and you all probably hate me by now and I have a million excuses and no excuses but I know you really don't care. This chapter is shorter than the others, but I think it's a good one. I hope you enjoy it.**_

_**REMEMBER THIS STORY STILL HAS TO DO WITH THE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE CRIME OF RAPE AND PLEASE DON'T READ IT IF IT IS GOING TO UPSET YOU. THAT IS NOT MY INTERTION AT ALL.**_

Chapter 9

"Mom." Rory said quietly, holding tightly to Lorelai.

""Mom wake up." Rory shook her gently, beginning to get a little worried. Lorelai was shivering like she was freezing, yet the blankets were covering her and Rory was snuggled up to her providing her with her own warmth.

Lorelai wasn't responding to her daughter and Rory moved so that she could look into her mother's eyes. "Oh my God." She said loudly and Luke jumped up from his chair. Lorelai's eyes were open but she wasn't seeing anything. She was staring straight ahead of her shivering violently. "Mom." Rory shook her mother hard but still got no response.

"What's wrong?" Luke rushed over to the bed and Rory looked up at him as tears cascaded down her face.

"Mom." She said crying and asking him with her eyes to help her.

Luke took one look at Lorelai and headed to the door. "Help." He called out to the nurse on duty. "Please someone please help us."

The nurse rushed in and hurried through taking Lorelai's vital signs. Lorelai didn't react to any of it. "It's all okay, but her pulse is racing." She said looking at the desperate faces of Luke and Rory. "It's PTSD."

"What's that?" Luke asked loudly, still not understanding.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." The nurse said. "She's reliving what happened to her. In her mind she is back there, going through it again."

"Stop her." Luke said, the panic very evident in his voice. "Can't we do something?"

The nurse shook her and called her name like Rory had and when it had no effect she slapped her soundly across the face. Lorelai blinked once, and closed her eyes in terror. The shivering slowed down but didn't stop.

"Mom." Rory said through her tears and wrapped her arms around her mother hugging her tight. Lorelai didn't react immediately but after a minute she hugged her daughter and began to cry great gulping sobs into her daughter's shoulder. Rory's sobs almost matched her mother's as she clung to Lorelai tightly.

"She should be okay now." The nurse said to Luke as she quietly made her way towards the door. Luke nodded as he watched her leave, then turned his attention back to Lorelai and Rory. He didn't know what to do for them as he watched them cling to each other, both of them sobbing uncontrollably. He wanted so much to take them in his arms and let them know he was there to protect them. He wanted to take away the hurt that they were feeling. He wanted to make them feel safe in the comfort of his embrace but he knew he couldn't do that. He knew that they wouldn't feel any comfort from his touch and he hated knowing that.

"Shhh." He said quietly, hoping that his voice could calm them. "It's okay now. Nothing is going to happen to you. You're safe here. I will protect you."

"Mom." Rory said, taking over from Luke. She swallowed a couple of times, trying to calm down enough to talk. "Mom I love you. I love you so much." She talked quietly into her mother's ear and Luke nodded to himself, knowing that Rory was in control know and that she would take care of her mother. He returned to his chair and sat down heavily. He put his hands up and ran them over his face and through his hair. He sighed and leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Mom." Rory continued. "Luke's right you know. We are safe here. He will protect us." She began rubbing her mother's back gently. "I just …I just want you to be okay. I love you so much Mom." Rory kept up a steady rhythm with her voice, hoping to calm her mom. She remembered when she was young and crying and her Mom would scoop her up onto her lap and hold her tightly and talk into her ear. She remembered listening not to the words her mother was saying but to the steady rhythm of her voice and she remembered the feel of her mother gently rubbing her back and how safe she felt in her mother's arms. With all her heart she wanted her mother to feel safe in her arms now.

Lorelai wasn't thinking, she was feeling. She could feel the terror rising up in her throat, threatening to overtake her. She could feel the pain going through her body trying to engulf her. She couldn't stop it, she couldn't hold it away anymore, she couldn't, she couldn't do it. She didn't know how. She felt it getting stronger. She felt like she was loosing herself. She could feel every agonizing second of what had happened to her. He was there with her and she couldn't get away, she couldn't even try to get away, she had to protect Rory. He had his hands on her wrist pulling her away. He took her into the room and she could feel the cold steel of the gun against her body. He was touching her, forcing her. He was … Suddenly she felt Rory's arms around her. It couldn't be. No, Rory couldn't be with her. She had to protect her daughter. Rory! Rory! She wanted to cry out, she wanted to scream for Rory to get away, but she couldn't. She turned to her daughter and saw the tears rolling down Rory's face and suddenly he was gone and she knew that she was in the hospital. She knew that it was over. She hugged her daughter tightly, the terror and the pain still trying to control her, but she had Rory. She tried to let the terror and the pain go through her cries. She tried so hard, and then she heard her daughter's voice. She fixated on it. It was steady and soothing and she felt Rory's arms around her and the gentle pressure on her back as Rory gently moved her hand back and forth in time to the rhythm of her voice. She clung to her daughter tightly, desperately afraid of losing her, of going back to the place she had been only minutes before. She concentrated as hard as she could to the sounds of her daughter's voice and the feel of her arms tightly around her.

Rory felt the tension slowly ease from her mother's body. She listened intently to the cries her mother was making and noticed the slightest change as they gradually moved from loud gulping sobs full of fear and pain to quiet troubled tears of sorrow. She eased her Mom away from her so she could look into her eyes but her mother's eyes were tightly closed. "Mom I love you." Rory said as she gently brushed her mother's hair away from her face.

Lorelai nodded and hugged her daughter tightly again, burrowing her face in her daughter's shoulder, the sobs once again overtaking her. After a few minutes she took a couple of deep breaths trying to get oxygen into her lungs. "I love you too kid." She said quietly and then added. "More than you could ever know."

"I do know." Rory said hugging her mother tightly. "I am your heart." She said softly. "And you are mine."

Lorelai smiled to herself and nodded. She wondered if Rory had any idea just how much she needed her right now.

They held each other in silence after that and although both of them were afraid to go to sleep, eventually the stress of the night overtook them and they once again fell asleep in each other's arms.

**_A/N: Thanks for reading. I will try to get the next chapter up by the end of the weekend. Really, I will. I know you don't believe me, and I don't blame you, but I really will try. Please review._**


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